Lian Li Pitstop T1 Mini-ITX Spider Test Bench Review

Introduction:

From time to time manufacturers like to mix up the market a little bit and release something so unique, that it stirs up a buzz. When it comes to the computer chassis, there are so many talented designs that it is hard to impress someone unless the design is so bizarre that it wipes them off of their feet. Lian Li is a well known manufacturer of computer cases and they have released some of the most efficient designs, which this time is no different.

Today we are taking a look at the Lian Li Pitstop T1 Mini-ITX Spider Test Bench. Yeah, I know that is a mouthful so from this point on I am going to refer to it only as the “Spider” for sake of simplicity. The Spider takes a whole new approach to an open test bench design. In the past, most test benches are square, open and kind of dull in design. They serve their purpose but do not have the look of elegance that will amaze your friends and colleagues. The Spider takes it a whole new level by giving the test bench a theme and a functional design in which to show off your prized hardware.

The Spider goes beyond just being a usable test bench by giving the looks to the metal. The Spider is able to use just about any hardware that you could place in another test bench or chassis such as a hard drive, optical drives, and even a power supply. If you want to stand out and be unique like the Spider, then it might be a match made in hardware heaven. If you are as excited as I am to see this baby assembled, then let’s get on with it.

Closer Look:

The Pitstop T1 Spider came shipped to us in the product box. I was a bit worried when I saw it and hoped the items inside were not damaged in any way. With all of the shipping labels stuck on the front I could not get a good look at what was displayed. I tried to remove them slowly but it started to pull up the packaging, so I decided against it. From what I could see it looks as if there is an image of the completed product on the front. On the rear of the package there is a full view of the T1 Spider as well as some close up shots of the hard drive cage, the cable management system and the inclusion of a full size ATX power supply mounted to the test bench. There is also a list of the features in several languages. Once I opened up the packaging I was so relieved to see how well it was protected. Surprisingly, nothing inside was damaged in transit. Kudos to Lian Li for packing it so tightly and making it secure in the box.

Once I got everything out of the package, I was surprised on the amount of parts needed to put the Spider together. From just the parts you would not guess this was going to end up looking like a Spider test bench. Starting from the top left and working across and then down, there is the main brace, the motherboard tray, the large and small legs, the two PSU brackets, the slim optical tray, the instruction booklet and the various screws and standoffs needed for installation.

Now that everything is out of the box I will show you the parts more closely as we start to put this masterpiece together.